Just as Muslims must travel to Mecca, there is a certain percentage of the population of the Boston area that must travel every 6 month to their own holy pilgrimage. Their trek is not one of a traditional religion, but based around the leader of a cult: Kay Hanley. I use the word Cult to describe Kay’s loyal fan base, not in a David Koresh creepy way, but in the way the ancients Greeks had cults loyal to a certain god such as the cult of Athena devoted to the patron saint of Athens. Dorchester born and raised Kay Hanley is the patron saint of Boston.

            Last Thursday was one of her 2 yearly treks to the play where the Cult first got its start, T.T. The Bears. In her instant classic tune Cellars By Starlight, Kay looks back to the days before LTC was known to most of the country as the band with the song at the end of Melrose Place  to the time when they were trying to impress Boston Phoenix scribe Brett Milano the writer of the column Cellars By Starlight. In the song Kay sings “Plastic Cup/ Cheap Red Wine/ Pencil Paper/ Requisit T.T. Night.” When that line was sung at last Thursday’s show a knowing cheer and rising of cups swept through the crowd. Indeed, part of the appeal of a Kay show is the back and fourth banter between Kay and the crowd and her husband guitar player USA Mike. For example: when Kay was talking about some of her disappointments with the Hot Stove Cool Music show the night before most superficially the fact that friend Peter Gammons was not their, a member of the crowd screamed and and Howie Day was ( Day is a crappy singer songwriter from Maine) . This led to a Kay rant ending with her urging the crowd to Kick Howie Day in the balls if they ever saw him. ( for the record I know the genesis of the Kay vs. Day beef but have taken a blood Oath not to disclose it)

            But, no one goes to a concert for witty banter alone. The  music has to deliver and once again Kay did. Kay opened and closed the show with new tunes Video and Work is For Suckers. While Cherry Marmalade was a very personal album, Video and Work is For Suckers are craftily made pop rock tracks that everyone can relate to on some level. From the LTC vault Kay brought out the classic break up anthem “Because of You” and its spiritual antonym “Awake.” In addition, during the encore, Kay brought out former LTC guitarist for the track Pete Beat. Other highlights from the show were “fall” and a reworked Galapagos.” ( the best song ever written about growing older and growing up) Here are a few pictures from the show.